Washing machine



J. J. WOOD.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 920. 1,403,882; Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

2 SHtLlS-SHEET I.

Inventor:

I b flW James J. Wood,

His Attorneg J. J. WOOD.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20.1920.

2 SHtETS-SHEET 2.

|n\/entor- 1 James J. Wood. by

His Abbov'fiey.

UNITED STATES JAMES J. WOOD, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC GOM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

WASHING, MACHINE.

To all whom. it map] concern Be it known that I, JAMES J. V000, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen, State 'of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to washing machines and more particularly to washing machines of the type co prising an oblong tub or container having ro nded ends and an inwardly projecting corrugated bottom, which tub is turned on pivots to give it a combined swinging and oscillating movement for shifting the contents of the tub back and forth to wash them, the water in the tub being given a figure eight motion.

The object of my invention is to provide animproved structure and arrangement of mechanism for operating a washing machine of this type and for-a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is. directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a washing'machine embodying my invention Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the same machine looking at it from a different angle; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of a motor and gearing for the machine; Fig. 5 is an irregulai-section taken on line 55.Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the clutch lever connection.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates a tub of suitable structure havinga cover 11, a drain cook 11*, and an inwardly projecting corrugated bottom wall 12. The tub is.

located-between two end frames 13 and 14, which are connected at their tops by a cross bar 15, and at their bottoms by a bottom frame 16. Extending fromend frame '13 to end frame 14 at the central portion of their lower ends is a shaft 17 on which are two upright supporting arms '18 which at their upper ends are pivotally connected to tub 10 to form a swinging support for it, In the present instance the tub has a reinforcing frame 19 at each end, and these frames are provided with stub shafts 20at their central portion which fit openings in the upper ends of arms 18. Depending from reinforcing frames 19 at their central portions are short Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 20,

I atented Jan. 17, 1922. 1920. Seria1 No.397,602.

arms 21tothe ends. of which are attached the upper ends of springs 22, the lower ends of said springs being fixed to end frames 13 and asby being attached to shaft 20, as ShOWIl lIl Fig. 3. Arms 21 and'springs 22 are thus normally parallel to supporting arms 18, as shown in Figs. 1 .and 2, and spr ngs 22 tend to always'hold them in such position, thereby acting to hold the tub when not in use in a horizontal position. Connecting tub 10 to end frames 13 and 14 are two horizontal radius bars 23,'one at each end of the machine. Bars 23 are pivotally connected to the tub .at points below pivots 20 and in vertical alignment therewith, and they are pivotally connected to the end frames on one of the uprights of the frames. Supported on bottom frame 16 is an electric motor 24,'which through a suitable gearing drives a crank-arm 25 carried on the end of a quill shaft 26 (see Fig. 5). The upper end of crank arm 25 isconnected by a link27 to a bar of one of the reinforcing frames 19, the POlIlt Of connection being atone-side of the vertical center of the tub.

With the foregoing arrangements when crankarm 25 rotates it imparts an oscillating-movement totub 10 about pivots 20, and at thesame time radius bars 23 effect a swinging movement of the tub on .arms 18,

the arms turning at their lower ends about shaft 17 as a pivot.

i A combined swinging and oscillating movement about shaft 17 and pivots 20 is thus imparted to the tub which results in giving to the water in the tub the motion of a figure eight laid horizontal. The arrangement for imparting this motion to the tub, itwill be noted, is very simple, is made up of few parts, and requires the use 'of only two springs, one at each end of the machine; and such springs are below the tub and w'ell'inside-the end frames where the are protected and do not present an unsig tIyappearanceQ Motor 24 is mounted directly on bottom frame 16 and'supported adjacent to it is a gear casing 28 provided with legs 28 fastened to frame'l6. Journaled in the walls of the gear casing adjacent its bottom isa shaft 29 on which is a worm 30 which meshes with a worm wheel 31. Shaft 29 is connected to the motor shaft by a suitable coupling 32. Worm wheel 31 is mounted on a sleeve 33 which is rotatably mounted on a fixed .shaft 34, held from rotation by a set screw increase or decrease the pressure of spring member 36 on worm wheel 31. This formsa Y friction clutch for protecting the motor will slip on sleeve 33. .Fixed on sleeve 33 is from overloads, the parts being so adjusted that in case of abnormal load worm wheel 31 a pinion 39 which meshes with a gear wheel 40 keyed on quill shaft 26 which is journaled in hearings in the gear casing. Crank arm has a hub 41 which is loosely mounted on the end of quill shaft 26 and is held from axial movement by the end of a key 42 which is fixed in a keyway at the end of shaft 26.

Mounted to slide axially on the end of shaft 26 is a clutch member in the form of a cap 43 provided with,projecting teeth 44 adapted to engage in slots .45 in the end of hub 41. In cap 43 is a keywa 46 in which key 42 slides, andsuch key orms a guide for cap 43 and also serves to fasten it so it must turn with shaft 26. Extending through.

quill shaft 26 i an operating rod 47 one end of which is fastened. to cap 43 as by being threaded into an opening therein. The other end of rod 47 is provided with a cross pin 48 (see Fig. 6) the ends of which project out through an axially elongated slot 49 in shaft '26 and enter openings in a collar 50 which is slidably mounted on shaft 26. The extent of axial movement of. collar 50 on shaft 26 is determined by the length'of slot 49 and this is of such length as to permit clutch cap 43 to be moved into and out of engagement with the end of hub 41. Collar 50 is provided with an annular groove 51 inwhich are located lugs 52 carried on the ends of forks 53 which form a part of a shiftin le-,

ver' for ,theclutch. Forks 53 are carrie by an arm 54 pivoted at 55 on a bracket 56 on the gear casing, and one of the forks is provided with an extension 57 (see Fig. 1) which is connected to an arm on the lower end of an operating rod 58 by a link 59. Rod 58 is sultably journaled in'lugs formed.

on oneof the uprights of frame 13and grovlded. at its'upper endwith a handle 59'.

' y turning the handle59' the shiftinglever for the clutch will be turned on pivot 55 to a move collar '50 on shaft 26 to thereby engage and disen age the clutch. .Shaft 26 is provided wit 61. The detail structure of the wringer drlve forms no part of the resent invention and the same 1s shown on y in a general way.

an extension 60 which. may be SOlld and which is used to drive the wringer- It will be understood that a vertical wringer shaft contained in tube 62 is driven from shaft extension 60 by bevel gearing contained in casing 63, and that handle 64 controls suitable gearing in casing 65 for starting, stopping and reversing the wringer. The wringer is shown as being a swinging wringer and handle 66 serves to lock it in its various positions. Mounted on the side of motor 24 .is a suitable electric switch 67 which is opened and closed by a handle 68 through the intermediary of a rod 69, link 70 and angle lever 71. The attachment'cord for the motor is indicated at 72.

When switch 67 is closed the motor drives shaft 29 and worm 30 which in turn drives quill shaft 26 through worm wheel 31, pinion 39 andgear wheel 40. Assuming the clutch cap 43 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, i. e., the clutch is open, shaft 26 turns idly in hub 41 and the tub 10 stands idle. If, now, handle 59' is turned to close the clutch inthe manner described above, then hub 41 will be clutched to shaft 26 and tub "10 will be operated inthe manner already explained. Whenever .the motor is running, shaft extension 60 is running so wringer 61 can be put into'operation by means of handle 64 at any time whether clutch 43 is open or closed.

When it is desired to drain the tub, it is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 so the drain'cock 11" points downwardly bringing the tub to the best possible position for draining and for being cleaned out. The tub is automatically held inthis position by the crank arm 25 being on the upper dead center which effectively looks it, and all that is necessary to place it in this position is to press down on the front end quickly. To unlock it all that is necessary is to start the motor when the tub will immediately return to horizontal position.

It will be seen that the operating mechan sm between the motor and tub 10 is very compact and that the gearing and clutches are all contained in and carried by a single casing. The friction clutch 36- is entirely Such arrangement also. serves to bring the operating means for the clutch to a position where it does not interfere with" crank 3111125. j In -accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the prin-. ciple of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider.

to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by said arms, a radius bar connecting the tub to the frame, a vertical spring which normally stands parallel to the supporting arms and has its upper end connected to the tub and its lower end connected to the lower end of the frame, the connection of the upper end of the spring to the tub being below the connection of the radius bar thereto, a motor, and means connecting the motor to the tub for imparting movement to the tub.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tub, of

means for imparting a combined swinging and oscillating movement thereto comprising end frames, a vertical arm pivoted on each end frame, said tub being pivotally mounted on the upper ends of said arms, a horizontal radius bar at each end of the tub which connects the tub to the end frames,

an arm projecting downwardly at each end of the tub, said arms being normally in alignment with said first named arms, a single vertical spring at each end of the tub having one end connected to one-of the downwardly projecting arms and the other end connected to the adjacent end frame, a motor driven shaft, a crank on the shaft, and a rod connecting the crank to the tub at a point to one side of its pivotal support.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair of spaced end frames, vertical supporting arms pivoted adjacent the lower ends of the end frames and centrally thereof, a tub pivoted on the upper ends of said arms, radius bars connecting the tub to the frame, the connections of the bars to the tub being in line with said vertical supporting arms, a single vertical spring at each end of the tub having one end connectedto the tub and the other end to the adjacent 'end frame, said springs normally standing in line with said supporting arms and having their upper ends connected to the tub below the connection therewith of the radius bars, a motor, and means connectingthe motor to the tub for imparting movement to the tub.

4. In combination, a tub having pivots at its two ends, vertical supporting arms on the upper ends of which said pivots rest, end frames, the lower ends of said supporting arms being pivotally mounted thereon, a radius bar at each end of the tub which connects the tub to the frame, a single vertical spring at each end of the tub having one end connected to the tub and the other end to the adjacent end frames, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, a crank arm on the shaft and a rod connecting the crank arm to the tub at one side of its pivots.

5. In combination, a tub having pivots at its two ends, vertical supporting arms on the upper ends of which said pivots rest, end frames, the lower ends of said supporting arms being pivotally mounted thereon, a radius bar at each end of the tub which connects the tub to the frame, a single vertical spring at each end of the tub having one end connected to the tub and the other end to the adjacent end frames, a motor, a shaft driven thereby, a crank arm loose on said shaft, a rod connecting the crank arm to the tub at one side of its pivots, a clutch for connecting the crank arm directly to the motor driven shaft, and a clutch operating rod arranged concentric with said shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of July, 1920.

JAMES J. WOOD. 

